A. Chair Type

Type refers to the basic design of the chair, including the look and construction of its legs, back, and seat. Select the option that works best for your needs, preferences, and overall design of the room you’re buying it for.

The type of chair you choose to accent your décor and other furniture dictates the additional design options that are available.

1. Arm Chair

An arm chair is arguably the most popular type of accent chair available.

Not only do they look great and add a touch of style to any room, but they’re also designed with comfort in mind. They typically consist of an upholstered material. The most common design incorporates two comfortable side supports to rest your arms on.

Arm chairs are available in a wide variety of materials, colors, and sizes to match your preferences.

2. Slipper Chair

This type of furniture is notable for its sleek, streamlined design. They provide an extra place to sit without taking much space. With an upholstered top, your color and pattern options are nearly endless.

Slipper chairs are available in numerous colors and styles to suit everyone’s needs, whether that’s style, comfort, or a mixture of the two.

3. Side Chair

A side chair is high among the most versatile pieces of furniture ever created.

With a very petite profile, they’re sort of like an even slimmer version of the slipper variety. They don’t have arms but do have an upholstered top and a solid frame.

The slim design of this type of furniture is what makes it so versatile. It will fit into the smallest and most awkward places. It’s comfortable enough as a place to sit while reading or watching television, but it’s also straight enough to use at a dining room table.

You can buy a side chair in just about any design imaginable, from those that stick out to those that smoothly blend in.

5. Lounge Chair

Since they’re designed for lounging, every aspect of these pieces is constructed with the goal of comfort. Most feature a laid-back design with a slanted back and a place to rest your feet. This footrest can either be built-in to the piece or come as a separate piece.

This style of furniture is often used inside as a place to relax. Outdoor versions are also incredibly common on patios and near pools.

Dozens of versions of lounge chairs are available, ranging from formal to relaxed and everywhere in between.

6. Wingback Chair

Few pieces of accent furniture are anywhere near as stylish as a wingback chair.

Used for centuries as a staple in libraries and other formal rooms, one of these pieces will bring a dose of classic style to any room. The tall back and winged sides are staples of its design.

Though traditionally used in a formal setting, modern versions look just as good in a laid back, relaxed living room. Place yours in front of a fireplace, in an entryway, or at a desk. You can even use them around a dining table.

Note that most of these pieces are quite bulky. They’re not the best option if you plan to move your seating around on a regular basis.

A variety of materials and colors make accent chairs a great addition to any room or area of your home.

12. Chesterfield Chair

The Chesterfield is a chair (also available as a sofa) that’s known for its formal looks and incredible comfort.

They bring classic good looks to the table with a mixture of leather materials, rolled arms, and nailhead trim.

Despite the fact that it was first created in the 18th century, the Chesterfield looks great in just about any room. Sure, they’re formal in style, but they work well with decidedly less formal furniture and décor.

Best of all, today’s modern Chesterfield chairs come in a wide variety of styles to suit just about any room in your home.

B. Chair Style

The style of your accent chair relates to its overall look and design.

Numerous factors must be taken into consideration including materials, color, and size. Most important of all, however, is the chair type.

2. Contemporary

Though it borrows some ideas from the modern style, contemporary style furniture is a completely different category of design.

Originating in the 1970s, pieces created in the contemporary style are known for their stark simplicity. Curves are another common design element. While the colors used on modern furniture are subdued and minimal, the contemporary style often incorporates bold colors and bold patterns.

3. Traditional

Accent chairs created in the traditional style tend to be welcoming, relaxed, and quite ordinary.

The style uses elements that look classic and authentic. Sometimes traditional design even looks slightly outdated. Warm, traditional, earthy colors are often used. The emphasize of these pieces is on function over fashion.

4. Transitional

These pieces are popular in modern homes because they go well with just about every type of décor and furnishings. They bring together elegance, clean profiles, and an emphasis on comfort into a single package. Warm neutral colors and understated patterns rule.

5. Rustic

Those that prefer a simple, laid back, completely unpretentious style of décor should look into rustic furniture.

These pieces are notable for their basic, rugged design that highlights natural beauty. Honest, warm, earthy colors are the hallmark of this style. Expect rustic pieces to look like they belong better in a log cabin than in a modern house.

6. Cottage/Country

The cottage style, also known as country style, is similar to the rustic style, but with more of a country twist.

Natural earth colors are paired with stripes, checks, and floral print. These pieces are basic and laid back but tend to incorporate a lot of bright colors. This is the style of furniture you’d expect to see in a farmhouse.

7. Glam

As glamorous as it gets, pieces created with this style have a lot of detail. Ornamental detail and elegance are central. Despite all of this, the colors used are subtle and used sparingly. When bold colors are used, it creates a big statement.

8. Coastal

Furniture created with the coastal style is comfortable, relaxed, and welcoming.

Think of the furniture you’d expect in a beach house: that’s the coastal style. The unpretentious look combines natural materials with casual textures and colors. The most common colors draw from the sea – clear blues, sea greens, and creamy whites are the most popular.

9. Mid-Century Modern

One of the most popular styles around, mid-century modern is notable for its blending of classic modern design with a slightly more updated feel. These are pieces with a look that harks back to the 1930s to 1960s. They have a classic, comfortable style that’s quite vintage in looks.

10. Industrial

The raw, utilitarian design that highlights industrial style furniture is becoming increasingly popular as of late.

Pieces that utilize this style are incredibly functional and working class in design. Humble materials, which are often pre-aged, are a hallmark of this style. Industrial accent chairs can be as simple or complex as you want them to be.

13. French Country

Pieces constructed in this style are bright, rustic, and laid-back. Think old world designs combined with modern splashes of color. The French country design is very similar to the cottage/country design except for its European twist.

14. Bohemian

These pieces contain a whole lot of flair and creativity. Textures, colors, and patterns are all vibrant with a flair towards the artistic. Brightly upholstered seats and rustic wooden frames are prevalent.

15. Tropical

The name says it all – this style of furniture is nothing short of tropical.

The tropical design reflects the style in tropical areas of the world. Pieces often have a laid-back, beach vibe. Tropical wood, woven textures, and a light atmosphere are common. Vibrant colors and patterns are also frequently utilized.

C. Other Design Options

Though type and style largely dictate what your accent furniture will look like, you still have several design options to choose from.

These include upholstery color and pattern, upholstery material, frame color and type, and arm type.

Not only do all these additional design factors influence the look of your accent chair, but they also relate directly to its overall functionality as a piece of useful furniture.

4. Arm Type

Each type of chair tends to come with a different arm type. The most common arm types include armless, track arms, round arms, recessed arms, flared arms, and pillow top arms.

More Details

There are a few important factors you should keep in mind behind the type, style, and design of your accent chair.

First up are additional considerations. These range from thinking of a flow plan of how the piece looks with the rest of your furniture/décor to comfort versus fashion.

Next up is how the chair will be used. Is it primarily for looks or will it regularly be sat in? Finally, we discuss how all of your decisions affect the final price you pay for your new piece of furniture.

A. Additional Considerations

You shouldn’t just buy an accent chair willy-nilly.

It’s essential to do your research to select a piece that you not only like, but also fits well with the overall design and décor of the room it will be located in.

Here are a few additional considerations to keep in mind while shopping:

Find Your Style – Use your inspiration to find the style you prefer. Build off this to find a piece that will complement the rest of your home décor.

Create a Floor Plan – Don’t just throw down your new piece. Instead, brainstorm and create a floor plan that emphasizes its looks without interrupting the walking flow of the room.

B. Interior Design Options

As mentioned above, it’s essential to consider how your new accent chair will look with the rest of your room’s décor and furniture.

Not only does the piece itself need to complement the overall style of the room, but it must also be situated properly in the room. The feng shui of the room’s layout will create a more relaxing and welcoming space.

Another interior design consideration is how the chair will be used. Are you buying it primarily for style? Or will it be used often as well?

The use of your new piece of accent furniture will dictate the type and style that’s best for your home.

Set your budget ahead of time to a price you feel comfortable with. The best online retailers have search tools that enable you to look only at products within your preferred price parameters.

Where to Buy Accent Chairs Online

There are so many places to buy accent chairs that the options can quickly become overwhelming.

We’ve done the legwork for you, narrowing down the options to the best of the best. These online retailers carry the widest selections at the best prices. Their intuitive search tools enable you to search for specific items based on type, color, price, and more.